Photo: Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty
AsA’ja Wilsonand herLas Vegas Acesstart the WNBA playoffs, the all-star athlete says facing aBrittney Griner-lessPhoenix Mercuryteam will “be tough,” emotionally and physically.
“Our league doesn’t even feel the same without her,” Wilson tells PEOPLE of Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February 17 and wasrecently sentenced to nine years in prison.
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With her Aces facing off against Griner’s team in the first round, Wilson says it’ll be an emotional series.
“It’s going to be tough playing against the Mercury as itself with, and without her. But at the end of the day, I know I’m playing for her,” says Wilson. “I know she’s here with us somewhere and we’re going to continue to pray and hope that everyone’s doing what they need to do to make sure that she gets home safely.”
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Along with Griner, the Mercury is also withoutstar Skylar Diggins-Smithwho will miss the remainder of the season due to “personal reasons.” But even without two of its' stars, Wilson knows this resilient Mercury squad is “a team that does not get overlooked at all.”
“They wouldn’t be in this situation if they were not a good team,” Wilson says. “So yes, it’s always and forever going to be in our hearts. And it’s like, we’re going to continue to think about it. But at the same time, we’re going to do what BG wants us to do. And that’s hoop at the end of the day.”
Wilsonbroke down in tears during a postgame press conference in June, after seeing photos of Griner in Russian court. “That’s our sister and I can’t imagine what she’s going through,” she said at the time.
Wilson tells PEOPLE that Griner is “constantly in our heart, no matter what,” as the WNBA star continues to fight for her freedom. Wilson continues, “She’s our sister. She is a pretty much our whole heart at this point because we feel for her. We think about her every single day. So it’s going to be a different approach of course, but at the same time, just the competitor in us. I think it’s going to be a good matchup.”
In addition to maintaining MVP-worthy stats on the court and preparing for a tough title run with her team, Wilson just announcedher recent partnership with Ruffles, a historic move for the chip company as she becomes the first female athlete on the company’s roster. The honor of representing the iconic snack brand isn’t lost on Wilson, especially during a season so heavy with emotion.
A’ja Wilson for Ruffles.Frito-Lay North America: Ruffles
“It’s a blessing, it really is,” Wilson says of her reaction to support from fans and colleagues who want to see her win this season’s MVP award.
“I never forget where I’m from, South Carolina through and through. When it comes to the south and South Carolina, I would always love barbecue. So smoky barbecue was a pretty easy choice for me. It made me have that connection to back home. And I just loved it,” Wilson says.
source: people.com
